Day One in Chalet School Land

After a much needed sleep, we were downstairs for breakfast as I wanted to be out and doing - we only have ten days and we had already prebooked three excursions - Neuschwanstein Castle, Krimml Waterfalls, and Innsbruck.  Thought it was only fair, as Dave isn't a CS fan, that we do some non-Chalet things. First stop was Reception for the Achensee Discovery Card - a great deal for 59 euros for a week's free travel on cable cars, Jenbach cog railway and ferries. Second stop was the Kron Prinz Karl Hotel jetty for the Achensee ferry and travel up to St Schokastika via Gaisalm (saving Dripping Rock for another day).



A typical chalet in Scholastika

We disembarked for a gentle stroll along the road to Achenkirk and a stop for a beer in the lovely sunshine. Having just missed a ferry back from Scholastika, we decided to stroll back to Achenseehof (walks were always going to be a central part of this holiday) to catch a ferry and here's where I began to get some firsthand experience of EBD's poetic licence when it comes to geography, distance and time! Also that sometimes things aren't adequately signposted when you've never actually been somewhere before and only have the knowledge from the story. There was a long wait at Achenseehof for the next ferry, so we decided to stroll on to Buchau. In my mind Buchau was always much further up the lake from all the stories I'd read, so that I didn't realise how far it really was. Having (finally!) arrived at what we thought should be Buchau jetty, there was no sign to say that it was. What to do? Walk on, of course, to Seespitz, because we'd seen where the ferry landed there on our stroll down the lakeside.  By now, given it was the first day, I'm beginning to feel seriously cream-crackered! So, onward to the ferry at Seespitz. Remembering that on the first arrival of Madge, Joey and Grizel at Seespitz in School, that Dick suggested they catch the ferry to Briesau as they might be tired, I felt fully justified that we did the same thing. Two very tired people arrived back at the Hotel Post much later than originally intended. Pretty sure we'd walked over 7 miles!

 A hot soaking bath followed by some of Matey's brilliant linament was the preferred option but not possible as we only had three quarters of an hour before meeting our rep to sort out the prebooked excursions. A quick shower had to do and then the rep was three quarters of an hour late! So annoying! Sorted all our questions out before enjoying another delicious dinner, my choice being very Chalet as I had the grilled lake perch.